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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Kseniya Simonova is a Ukrainian artist who just won Ukraine's version of "America's Got Talent." She uses a giant light box, dramatic music, imagination and "sand painting" skills to interpret Germany's invasion and occupation of Ukraine during WWII.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

I predict I won't survive the next layoff. That is when there is no point to continue. RIght now, life is bearable and I can get by indefinitely. Something bad must happen. The paycheck is all I have left. The future holds nothing for me. Twenty five years of nothing fun. I never even spent one weekend with a girl in my life, even at my own place. Also unlikely to find another similar job. I guess then is when I take care of things. I don't have kids, close friends or anything. Just me here. If you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

A TSG investigation unmasks the leader of Pranknet and the miscreants behind a year-long wave of phone call criminality.

AUGUST 4--At 4:15 AM on a recent Tuesday, on a quiet, darkened street in Windsor, Ontario, a man was wrapping up another long day tormenting and terrorizing strangers on the telephone. Working from a sparsely furnished two-bedroom apartment in a ramshackle building a block from the Detroit River, the man, nicknamed "Dex", heads a network of so-called pranksters who have spent more than a year engaged in an orgy of criminal activity--vandalism, threats, harassment, impersonation, hacking, and other assorted felonies and misdemeanors--targeting U.S. businesses and residents.

AUGUST 6--As if the members of Pranknet couldn't get creepier, The Smoking Gun has learned that one of the online cabal's leading vandals was once convicted of raping a five-year-old girl in the bathroom of a Texas church. James Tyler Markle, 18, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child and was sentenced in 2005 to a minimum two years in custody.

Texas man, 19, facing felony raps in two states over phone hoaxes

SEPTEMBER 9--A Texas man is facing felony charges in two states for placing prank phone calls that caused significant damage to fast food restaurants. James Tyler Markle, who was exposed last month in a TSG story on Pranknet, an online network of criminal prank callers, was arrested yesterday for a June 20 call targeting a McDonald's in Lufkin, Texas (Markle lives in Diboll, a neighboring city). Markle confessed to the crime following his arrest, according to police.

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party has sent an open letter to Bill Maher after a June 19 broadcast of 'Real Time' in which Mr. Maher said "[W]hat we need is an actual progressive party to represent the millions of Americans who aren't being served by the Democrats. Because, bottom line, Democrats are the new Republicans."

The Green Party's reply to Mr. Maher: "Hey, Bill, we're over here! What you described is the GREEN PARTY! We already exist!"

The progressive party sought by Bill Maher describes the Green Party: "Shouldn't there be one party that unambiguously supports cutting the military budget, a party that is straight up in favor of gun control, gay marriage, higher taxes on the rich, universal health care -- legalizing pot -- and steep, direct taxing of polluters?"

The open letter urges Mr. Maher to acknowledge the Green Party and have a Green candidate or leader on the show. The text of the letter is appended below.

The Green Party is currently preparing for its annual national meeting, to take place in Durham, North Carolina, from July 23 to July 26 (http://www.gp.org/2009-ANM http://ncgreenparty.org/2009-ANM.html). Reporters are invited to cover the meeting (http://www.gp.org/forms/media).

"America's First Party" An Open Letter to Bill Maher from the Green Party

Dear Mr. Maher,

We were thrilled to hear you talk about us when you discussed the need for a new party -- a "first party" -- during the June 19 broadcast of 'Real Time.'

The only part you left out were the words "Green Party."

Here's what you said:

"We don't need a third party. We need a first party. You go to the polls and your choices are the guy who voted for the first Wall Street bailout, or the guy who voted for the next ten."

"Shouldn't there be one party that unambiguously supports cutting the military budget, a party that is straight up in favor of gun control, gay marriage, higher taxes on the rich, universal health care -- legalizing pot -- and steep, direct taxing of polluters? These aren't radical ideas. A majority of Americans are either already for them or would be if they were properly argued and defended."

"[W]hat we need is an actual progressive party to represent the millions of Americans who aren't being served by the Democrats. Because, bottom line, Democrats are the new Republicans."

Hey, Bill, we're over here! What you described is the GREEN PARTY! We already exist!

Maybe you forgot about us because the major media have an aversion to mentioning the Green Party and our candidates. Maybe the FCC has banned "Green Party" along with the late George Carlin's seven dirty words, "Chomsky," "End the Drug War," and other language that offends delicate sensibilities.

For the major networks, and apparently PBS and NPR too, the very idea of more than two candidates in an election makes talking heads explode.

If Green candidates started getting elected to higher office, the radical ideas that aren't really radical would get a fair hearing and a chance of passage.

Imagine if a few Greens got seated in Congress. Greens don't take corporate contributions, so they'd be immune to the influence of Exxon-Mobil, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Raytheon, Monsanto, etc. When Rep. Nancy Pelosi sends out orders not to seek a probe of Bush-Cheney officials who authorized torture dungeons, Greens could tell her to take a hike.

A few Green congressional victories would cause a seismic shock to the political landscape. Democrats would no longer have Republicans as their sole competition. The scope of national debate would no longer be Dems on the left, Repubs on the right, a phony middle ground between them, and a narrow range of political ideas comparable to the corner grocery limiting your choice of beverage to Coke or Pepsi.

With some Greens in Congress:

Democrats couldn't pretend to be the antiwar party while voting for more war funding.

Single-payer national health care would be on the table and might even pass. President Obama and most Democrats already know single-payer is the best proposal. But they feel compelled to appease the health insurance, pharmaceutical, and other lobbies and find common ground with Republicans who believe the free market has sufficient mojo to cure every illness and injury.

We'd hear the truth: that "emissions trading" is a license for corporate polluters to keep polluting, that "clean coal" is a plot to turn West Virginia into a crater, that the trillion-dollar Wall Street bailout and confiscation of savings and pension money are the greatest transfer of wealth from working people to big banks in history. There's a bipartisan consensus that corporate profit margins always take precedent over Americans facing financial ruin over a health emergency or credit card debt or a mortgage or a lost job. Whenever you hear the word "bipartisan" on the evening news, check the silverware.

What are we going to do about this situation, Bill? If you really want a "first party" for America, will you throw us a bone on your show? Will you have a Green candidate or Green leader on once in a while? (Ralph Nader doesn't count -- he's not a member of the Green Party.)

Rosa Clemente, our 2008 vice-presidential candidate, said that the Green Party "is more than an alternative, it's an imperative." Based on your comments, Bill, it sounds like you might agree with Rosa.

We look forward to hearing back from you. You can see what we're up to on our web site (http://www.gp.org).

Monday, June 29, 2009

Brittanee Drexel updateIn five weeks of searching, there has been no sign of Brittanee Drexel. There have been dozens of leads and sightings. None have panned out.Brittanee’s mother, Dawn Drexel, has been in South Carolina since the beginning. She is determined as ever, but she told News 10NBC by phone Wednesday she’s emotionally spent.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Michael Jackson Dies At 50Michael Jackson died Thursday afternoon (June 25) at the age of 50 after suffering cardiac arrest, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Reports say the legendary pop singer suffered cardiac arrest at his home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Holmby Hills and was not breathing and had no pulse when paramedics arrived after a 911 call around 12:26 p.m. PT. They administered CPR in the ambulance but were unable to revive him. At the hospital, staff attempted to resuscitate Jackson, but he was unresponsive.

Michael Jackson Dies -- Celebs Go to TwitterJohn Mayer: Dazed in the studio. A major strand of our cultural DNA has left us. RIP MJ. I think we'll mourn his loss as well as the loss of ourselves as children listening to Thriller on the record player.

Miley Cyrus: michael jackson was my inspiration. love and blessings

Ludacris: If it were not for Micheal Jackson I would not be where or who I am today.His Music and Legacy will live on Forever.Prayers to the famR.I.P.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

A Mother, passing by her son's bedroom was astonished to see that his bedwas nicely made and everything was picked up. Then she saw an envelope,propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to 'Mom'. With theworst premonition she opened the envelope with trembling hands and read theletter.

Dear Mom,

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope withmy new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Dad and you.

I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice. But I knewyou would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, tightmotorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am.But it's not only the passion.....

Mom... she's pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns atrailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter.We share a dream of having many more children. Stacy has opened my eyes tothe fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it forourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaineand ecstasy.

In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS soStacy can get better. She deserves it.

Don't worry Mom. I'm 15 and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'msure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know yourgrandchildren.

Love,

Your Son,

P. S. Mom, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house. I justwanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the reportcard that's in my center desk drawer. I love you. Call me when it's safe tocome home

I was maybe 2 1/2 years old. Someone had given me a little 'tea set' as a gift and it was one of my favorite toys.

Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news when Ibrought Daddy a little cup of 'tea', which was just water. After severalcups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home.

My Dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup oftea, because it was 'just the cutest thing!' My Mom waited, and sureenough, here I come down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy and shewatches him drink it up.

Then she says, (as only a mother would know.. :)

'Did it ever occur to you that the only place she can reach to get water is the toilet?

Friday, February 13, 2009

50 killed in crash as plane hits Buffalo houseCLARENCE CENTER, New York (CNN) -- A Continental Airlines plane crashed into a house near Buffalo, New York, late Thursday, killing all 49 people aboard and a person in the home, authorities said."This is easily the saddest day in the history of our airline," said Philip Trenary, CEO of Colgan Air, which operated the flight for Continental.

Continental Connection Flight 3407, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 74-seat turboprop, was en route from Newark, New Jersey, to Buffalo when it went down at around 10:20 p.m. ET, about seven miles from Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

9/11 widow among Buffalo flight victimsCLARENCE CENTER, New York (CNN) -- Friends, relatives and acquaintances were shocked to hear the news that Beverly Eckert, the widow of a September 11 victim, was aboard the Continental flight to Buffalo, New York, that crashed Thursday night.

A resident of Stamford, Connecticut, Eckert was the widow of Buffalo native Sean Rooney, who died at the World Trade Center. After that attack, Eckert co-founded "Voices of September 11," an advocacy group for survivors and 9/11 families.

Valerie Lucznikowska, a member of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, said Friday she was "horribly saddened" by news of the Buffalo crash.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

We’re excited to introduce Amazon Kindle 2, the next generation wireless reading device. With a sleek and thin design that makes Kindle 2 as thin as a typical magazine and lighter than a paperpack, the new Kindle has seven times more storage and now holds over 1,500 books. It has a longer battery life and faster page turns. An advanced display provides even crisper images and clearer text for an improved book-like reading experience. And Kindle 2 even reads to you, with “Read to Me”, our new Text to Speech feature.

With Kindle 2 we kept everything readers love about the original Kindle—the convenience of reading what you want, when you want it, the immediacy of getting a book wirelessly delivered in less than 60 seconds, and Kindle’s ability to “disappear” in your hands so you can get lost in the author’s words. We’re also excited to announce that the Kindle Store has over 230,000 ebooks available. Kindle 2

New Features & EnhancementsSlim & Lightweight: Just over 1/3 inch and 10.2 ounces Books in under 60 seconds: Get books delivered in less than 60 seconds; no PC required

Improved Display: Reads like real paper; now boasts 16 shades of gray for crisp images and text; even reads well in bright sunlight

Friday, January 9, 2009

DALLAS (Reuters) - A death row inmate in Texas tore out his eyeball with his fingers and ate it, leaving him blind after he gouged out his other eye several years ago, the state's department of criminal justice said on Friday.

"We don't know how it happened," said Jason Clark, a spokesman for the department. "There are no indications that he used anything other than his hands."

Andre Thomas, 25, was now in a secure psychiatric facility after he pulled out his left eye last month at the death row unit in Livingston in eastern Texas, Clark said.

Thomas was condemned for killing his wife, son and infant stepdaughter in 2004, according to the department's brief account of the case. Local media reports said he had ripped out the hearts of his victims.

Thomas was on death row since March 2005 but did not have an execution date. There are 373 inmates on death row in Texas, the Washington-based Death Penalty Information Center says.